[Storage Stability of Nitrite in Nitrite Analysis of Meat Products].

For the analysis of nitrite ions in food, the stabilities of nitrite ions in meat products and their standard solutions were evaluated. Nitrite is easily oxidized or reduced; hence, products with standard solutions or colour retention agent must be carefully handled. To assess the stability and decreasing trend of nitrite, we examined the storage stability of standard solutions using calibration curves, the time course of nitrite in chopped meat products stored under different conditions, and the time course of nitrite in the sample solutions. Regarding calibration curves, the storage stability was determined for standard solutions that were prepared with ultrapure water at concentrations of 0.025 and 0.4 µg/mL and were stored at 5℃ for one year. The results revealed no changes in concentration of any solution over time, suggesting that no readjustments to the standard solution concentration were necessary before testing until one year after their preparation. Time course of nitrite in chopped meat products stored under different conditions showed a significant decrease in nitrite in refrigerated storage (5℃), whereas stability of nitrite was maintained for up to 1 day in frozen storage (-20℃) and for 14 days in frozen storage (-40℃). The time course of nitrite in the sample solutions showed that the quantitative values of nitrite in the extract remained unchanged within one week of extraction for the meat products tested in the study.

[A Screening Analysis Method for Stevia Sweetener in Processed Foods by LC-MS/MS].

A LC-MS/MS-based screening method was developed for stevia sweetener in processed foods. After extraction of stevia sweetener from processed foods by dialysis, the dialysate was diluted with water, and stevia sweetener was measured by LC-MS/MS. Recovery from 5 kinds of processed foods spiked with 10 mg/kg of stevioside （SS）, 10 mg/kg of rebaudioside A （RS）, or 100 mg/kg of α-glu-cosyltransferase-treated stevia （Gts） product was excellent, and no interfering peak was observed. Thirty-six commercial processed foods indicated as containing "stevia" were analyzed using this established method. Among them, 33 contained SS, 33 contained RS, and 11 contained Gts. Five products contained both stevia extract and Gts.

[Method of Quantitative Analysis Using Enzymatic Hydrolysis of α-Glucosyltransferase-Treated Stevia in Foods].

A quantitative analysis by HPLC of α-glucosyltransferase-treated stevia in foods was considered. This analysis is the way which hydrolyzed α-glucosyltransferase-treated stevia in the stevioside (SS) and the rebaudioside A (RS) using a glucoamylase. Recovery (%) of α-glucosyltransferase-treated stevia, spiked at 200 mg/kg in various foods, were more than 80% and the relative standard deviations were less than 5.0% as SS and RS for the rate of collection. A qualitative analysis by LC-MS/MS was performed 36 products of commercial foods containing stevia. We quantified of 11 products in which α-glucosyltransferase-treated stevia was detected. Quantitative value was at most 180 mg/kg as SS, at most 70 mg/kg as RS.

A Rapid Dialysis Method for Analysis of Artificial Sweeteners in Foods (2nd Report).

Following the previous report, a rapid dialysis method was developed for the extraction and purification of four artificial sweeteners, namely, sodium saccharide (Sa), acesulfame potassium (AK), aspartame (APM), and dulcin (Du), which are present in various foods. The method was evaluated by the addition of 0.02 g/kg of these sweeteners to a cookie sample, in the same manner as in the previous report. Revisions from the previous method were: reduction of the total dialysis volume from 200 to 100 mL, change of tube length from 55 to 50 cm, change of dialysate from 0.01 mol/L hydrochloric aqueous solution containing 10% sodium chloride to 30% methanol solution, and change of dialysis conditions from ambient temperature with occasional shaking to 50℃ with shaking at 160 rpm. As a result of these revisions, the recovery reached 99.3-103.8% with one hour dialysis. The obtained recovery yields were comparable to the recovery yields in the previous method with four hour dialysis.

A Rapid Dialysis Method for Analysis of Stevioside and Rebaudioside A in Foods.

A rapid dialysis method for the analysis of stevioside (SS) and rebaudioside A (RS) in foods was developed. Minced samples (10 g) were packed into 30 cm net length dialysis tubing with 30% methanol to increase the dialysis efficiency. The dialysis tubing was put in a 100 mL centrifuge tube, and the total fluid volume was made up to 100 mL with 30% methanol. Dialysis was done with shaking while heating at 50℃. The dialysis times were reduced from 48-72 hr in the conventional method to 2 hr under these conditions. The dialysate was loaded on a C18 solid- phase extraction cartridge, and the cartridge was washed with 40% methanol. SS and RS were eluted from the cartridge with 80% methanol, and separated by reversed-phase HPLC. Recovery yields (%)of SS and RS, spiked at 0.02 g/kg in various foods, were 83.0-105.1% and the relative standard deviations were mostly less than 5%.